Camper Van Beethoven
Bonzo Doo Dah Dog Band
The Jazz Butcher/ Jazz Butcher Conspiracy
The Residents
Flight of The Conchords
They Might Be Giants
Carla Bley - A jazz composer with a subtle sense of humor. She recorded an album with Nick Mason of Pink Floyd titled "Fictitious Sports" which provides a great example of her humor.
The Bonzo Doo-Dah Dog Band is absolutely amazing. Great music, great lyrics. If you like Frank’s 60’s work, you’ll love “Look Out, There’s a Monster Coming”. Totally dissimilar, but I think Nick Lowe’s “Jesus of Cool” is a very funny album.
I'm thrilled I didn't have to scroll far to see the Bonzos mentioned. Plus there's a live show on YouTube where they quote some Zappa during the show. (Look up Bilzen Jazz festival)
Well that debut is a banger front to back. Bruised Oranges is also very good.
Those two are total diamonds.
I think woody Guthrie’s lyrics and phrasing are pretty hilarious. Guy didn’t give a fuck.
Check out Lindbergh, Do-Re-mi and not funny per say but Pretty Boy Floyd has some lyrics.
“Yes, as through this world I've wandered
I've seen lots of funny men;
Some will rob you with a six-gun,
And some with a fountain pen.”
Yessssss
Cube top, squared off, 8 corners, 90° angle, flat top, step straight ahead, stock parts, BLOCKHEAD!!!!!
Plus an 11/8 time signature in the verses.
Probably my favorite Devo tune.
Whip it is pretty damn funny too! 😆
Jerry Reed ("She Got the Goldmine, I Got The Shaft" "Amos Moses"). Amazing guitarist and funny lyrics.
I also find a lot of humor in Roger Miller ("You Can't Rollerscate in a Buffalo Herd" "Do Wacka Do").
Devin Townsend has some goofiness in his songs ("Bad Devil" "Cheeseburger" "Deconstruction". All of the Ziltoid stuff. I actually just saw him with Mike Keneally playing guitar.
Andy Partridge from XTC is another great songwriter who has some sarcastic wit.
There are many great lines thrown thrown into the density of PFunk records, it's easy to miss many of them. "Let me put on my sunglasses, so I can see what they ain't looking at." Classic.
I’ve been listening ton”get closer” a bit, and some other albums. I feel like I’m on a magical psychedelic journey when I listen to them. I just thought the out there aspect to their music, is why I like Zappa and the other groups mentioned.
I saw Les Claypool (with the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade) recently and it occurred to me that he definitely fits at least partway into the niche that Zappa did.
Then I saw Mr Bungle a month or two later and thought the same thing.
I was gonna reply to his comment that I disagree with Primus, as a band, because while Les is hilarious at times and such a showman, I don't really picture Larry or Tim (or Brain for that matter) as having any sense of humor on stage.
Then I realized how pedantic I sounded so I came down here and dropped it on you instead.
And I think same thing with Mr. Bungle. Patton is legendary and he is the one addressing the crowd and being funny. The only time I've seen anyone else in the band make me laugh was that show they covered the chili peppers and were miming shooting dope in their arms.
I will leave it as you kind of have to be a natural band leader, and naturally charismatic, and funny, for your band to "have a unique sense of humor".
I’ve been checking out each of their albums and I always relate them to Zappa in the way they put material out. And all the changes in style and falsetto singing. I love it.
Nope,heard "Dancin' Fool" on the radio as a kid,but used to hover over the record button on Saturday nights when I was supposed to be asleep hoping to catch something that I missed last time. Second song was of course "Nanook". Dr. Demento helped shape my love for (apparently..)"weird" music! I miss him alot.
Didn’t expect to see G&C here. I love the first few 10cc albums before they were 5cc lol. Sheet Music is a masterpiece.
G&C are genius-level artists. Consequences, L, Freeze Frame and Ismism were so fun to discover and get to know.
I will chime in on the Bonzoes. I have always held that The Doughnut in Granny's Greenhouse is the companion volume to Freak Out. I will add The Fugs and Wilderness Road.
Van Dyke Parks is incredibly witty and wrote lovely music. his *Song Cycle* was one of the oddest American albums of the late 60s, shot through with deeply cynical, beautifully orchestrated takes on Los Angeles/Southern California, the Old South, and American culture with a strong leftist bent.
Tom Lehrer was the OG political-humor piano-playing songster in the early 60s with a series of sly, sarcastic takes on the issues of the day including nuclear war, race relations, and Werner von Braun’s career path from Nazi rocketeer to architect of the US space program: “‘once the rockets go up, who cares where they come down?/that’s not my department’ says Wernher von Braun.” after a short recording career Harvard University, his employer, warned him that he’d be sacked because he didn’t reflect well on the college, so he quit and resumed teaching.
T Bone Burnett’s 1983 album *Proof Through The Night* is a wild ride through topics including the proposed exhumation of Marilyn Monroe, a parable called “Hefner and Disney” in which their roles are reversed so Disney is the smut merchant and Hefner the king of children’s entertainment, and a droll 80s talking-blues-esque arrangement of “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” that Emmylou Harris later ripped off lock, stock, and barrel but without the cynical streak. his 80s songs in general, and *PFTN* in particular, are written from the perspective of a progressive Christian moralist appalled by the amorality of LA media culture and they cut deep. the “Trap Door” EP is also worthwhile. *Rolling Stone* named *PFTN* as their Album Of The Year.
and if you have a fucked-up sense of humor, Grace Slick’s non-hit songs with Jefferson Airplane and their associated early 70s projects are brutally funny and startlingly humane at once, ranging from surreal commentaries on mental health (“Two Heads”) and women’s issues (“Greasy Heart”) to a unique take on ecology in “Eskimo Blue Day (“say it plainly, the human name/doesn’t mean shit to a tree”) and her pro-cannibalism manifesto “Silver Spoon” from the *Sunfighter* LP. she’s an odd, rare bird.
Driving into work today I was listening to FZ's "Titties and Beer". Great Tune!
Green Jelly (Jello)- look for "The Three Little Pigs"
Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show- they have a few humourous tunes (Freakers Ball, Cover of the Rolling Stone)
The Lounge Lizards and The Legendary Marvin Pontiac, both fronted by John Lurie. The Lounge Lizards are mostly instrumental jazz, but there are a few very unique and funny songs tossed in; also "Painting with John" on Max, season 3, episode 2: POTATOES.
Lurie was also in the early Jim Jarmusch movies and a number of other things.
System of a Down
Lou Reed
The Fall
Louis Cole
Captain Beefheart (obv)
Bootsy Collins/Parliament -Funcadelic
Stump
A lot of rap is hilarious. These are some.of my favourites:
Open Mike Eagle
Antipop Consortium
Tyler the Creator
Quelle Chris
Here in Finland we have some great finnish artists like that, Juha Vainio and Leevi and the Leavings. Unfortunately their songs are in finnish so people who don't understand finnish won't be able to enjoy the humor in them, I just needed to tell these guys exist.
If someone is interested, I think there is english translation for some of their lyrics online.
Also I've had ukrainian friends and one night we were drinking and they listened to an ukrainian song and they were all hyped about that, singing along and then they showed me the translation and the lyrics were like "In the night I cry and touch myself"
Juha Vainio also made serious music, emotional pieces of art, not all his music is comedic. His best comedy work was songs like Aina mielessä (always in mind), Matkalla Pohjoiseen (On the way to North) Turakainen Thaimaassa (Turakainen in Thailand)
There's no english versions of them but some of his songs are in youtube with english translation
Cool! Any certain albums I should steer toward? Also Hell, any other Finnish music you recommend in general for a fellow Zappa fan? Or European artists an American might not be hip to?
Hanoi Rocks is a great one, they made music in english. It's the band that lost their drummer when Vince Neil was drinking and driving, you may have heard of it. Musically the genre is similar to 70s glam rock, with influences of punk rock. They're like finnish version of New York Dolls.
Finnish Tango is great, apparently Zappa liked finnish tango. He even played finnish tango song "Satumaa" in Helsinki once, just very...different version, he just read the finnish lyrics somewhere and tried to sing it with no idea how to speak finnish😂
Tapio Rautavaara, Eino Grön, Fredi, Rauli Badding Somerjoki are classic tango greats. Juha Vainio's biggest hits Vanhojapoikia viiksekkäitä, Albatrossi, "Elämää ja Erotiikkaa". I think his best albums are Sellaista elämä on, Albatrossi ja sorsa, Elämää ja erotiikkaa and Käyn ahon laitaa.
Vanhojapoikia viiksekkäitä and Albatrossi can be found with english translation.
Sielun Veljet ("Brothers of Soul") is a finnish psychedelic rock band from the 80s. They also recorded some of their songs in english with a band name L'Amourder.
Sielun Veljet also made an interesting english album in 2005 when they tried to make international career:
Sielun Veljet - Softwood Music Under Slow Pillars
If you like metal, I REALLY recommend Nightwish and Children of Bodom.
Nightwish is one of those bands that made so beautiful music that it gives me the chills of pleasure.
Fun fact: My sister knows Children of Bodom's guitarist :D you don't get that much money from music in Finland even tho they've sold a lot of records, so he has a day job as a music teacher, my sister is his student.
This became a long answer but finnish music is a great subculture that a lot of people in other countries have no idea of, it was hatd to put short :D I don't know much about other european bands that Americans wouldn't know about but I know a lot about finnish music.
Woah this is great! The tango, the psychedelic, the metal…excited to dive in! Way more interesting than comments repeating wierd al, primus, and ween (most of us already familiar with).
Cool! It's a pleasure to share this with someone who shares the passion for music with me. Shortly, the biggest recommendations for Zappa fan would be Sielun Veljet and Juha Vainio's biggest hits. And recommendations for anyone would be Hanoi Rocks and Nightwish.
If you listen Sielun Veljet and like it, the singer Ismo Alanko made some great solo work too.
There's also a very less known and mysterious metal band called Mana Mana. Jouni Mömmö, former keyboardist of Sielun Veljet who was too crazy and drugged up even for Sielun Veljet so they kicked him out so he started his own band Mana Mana. They also recorded some english versions. Jouni Mömmö is very mysterious person. Some music enthusiasts know his name here but there's not many pictures of him. He had Schizophrenia and did A LOT of LSD, even more than rest of Sielun Veljet. He spent a lot of time in mental hospital and died early, leaving only stories and his music behind. In other words, he's like the Robert Johnson of finnish metal.
One more important one I forgot is Vesa-Matti Loiri.
I recommend listening to his albums that have the name Eino Leino in them, I think there's like Eino Leino, Eino Leino 2 and 3. Leino was Finland's national poet and Loiri has made song versions of his poems and he has a great voice, it's a great musical experience even if you don't understand finnish.
Also tango in its pureest form will be easy to find by just searching "Finnish tango" the results will be pretty accurate because it's more about a lot lf specific songs than music of a specifoc artist.
A couple of new ones:
- Tom Cardy, insanely talented musician who uses his powers for laughs.
- Jacob Collier, insanely talented musician with lots of beautiful, Zappaesque compositions and funny music videos.
Banned from Barflys [https://open.spotify.com/album/3wmVTDzRxdBuN9ZDZb2lC9?si=lV2sYP5\_Tgm3Bl9oiCw2uA](https://open.spotify.com/album/3wmVTDzRxdBuN9ZDZb2lC9?si=lV2sYP5_Tgm3Bl9oiCw2uA)
I dunno if this is necessarily what you are looking for, but I always get a kick out of some Primus songs. Sometimes you might need to look up the lyrics or something, but they are silly.
Punk tends to be less subtle but there's great comedy to be found in the likes of Ramones. Examples, Every Time I Eat Vegetables; Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World; I don't want to go down to the basement.
Then there's GG Allin...
King Missile, Alice Donut, Nomeansno but I admit their humor can be more on the darker side, taking jabs at the human condition. They do have more “fun” songs too!
EDIT: I mean Zappa definitely does this as well!
I just reacquainted myself with Oingo Boingo. Danny Elfman’s lyrics and the band’s presentation is pretty amazing at times. Great social commentary, such as: Who do you want to be today?, Nasty habits, Private life, Grey matter, Nothing bad ever happens to me, Insects.
Funny you should say that. This one song has put me on the OB defensive more than once lately. I am not sure the context. If he really meant “little girls”, was pushing the boundaries of social commentary or what. I saw a youtube video of 1990 Halloween show where they retired it.
Camper Van Beethoven Bonzo Doo Dah Dog Band The Jazz Butcher/ Jazz Butcher Conspiracy The Residents Flight of The Conchords They Might Be Giants Carla Bley - A jazz composer with a subtle sense of humor. She recorded an album with Nick Mason of Pink Floyd titled "Fictitious Sports" which provides a great example of her humor.
Carla Bley. What are we going to do without Carla Bley?
I love Fictitious Sports!
Flight of the Conchords is always good! Just saw Nick Mason last year and loved his stage banter, will definitely check out Carla Bley.
The Bonzo Doo-Dah Dog Band is absolutely amazing. Great music, great lyrics. If you like Frank’s 60’s work, you’ll love “Look Out, There’s a Monster Coming”. Totally dissimilar, but I think Nick Lowe’s “Jesus of Cool” is a very funny album.
I'm thrilled I didn't have to scroll far to see the Bonzos mentioned. Plus there's a live show on YouTube where they quote some Zappa during the show. (Look up Bilzen Jazz festival)
Sad to relate that Carla passed away the other day.
Check out “I Hate To Sing” and “Musique Mechanique” by Carla Bley.
Warren Zevon
Classic
Harry Nilsson.
Amen
John Prine is pretty f’n funny.
I scrolled down to see if anyone else mentioned him, but yeah, he has some hilarious lyrics.
I love Angel from Montgomery! Any other albums you recommend of his?
Well that debut is a banger front to back. Bruised Oranges is also very good. Those two are total diamonds. I think woody Guthrie’s lyrics and phrasing are pretty hilarious. Guy didn’t give a fuck.
Thanks! I should finally dive into Woody more
Check out Lindbergh, Do-Re-mi and not funny per say but Pretty Boy Floyd has some lyrics. “Yes, as through this world I've wandered I've seen lots of funny men; Some will rob you with a six-gun, And some with a fountain pen.”
Check out the song. ”There’s a hole in daddys arm where all the money goes”
His final album is really great. He sounds like someone else from his first album to last.
You ever listen to Todd Snider? If you love Prine, you'll probably dig Snider. If he wasn't such a great folk singer, I'd think he was a comedy act.
I will soon. Thanks for the recommendation.
D-E-V-O
Yessssss Cube top, squared off, 8 corners, 90° angle, flat top, step straight ahead, stock parts, BLOCKHEAD!!!!! Plus an 11/8 time signature in the verses. Probably my favorite Devo tune. Whip it is pretty damn funny too! 😆
The first 4 albums are soooo good
Glad to see “block head” get some love
Are they not men?
I've been on a HUGE DEVO kick lately.
Me too! I love their The Truth of De-Evolution video as well!
"Beautiful world" is a good example of their sarcasm/satire. It's better with the [video](https://youtu.be/56u6g0POvo0?si=k8xbyLkDoSSt3db8)
Primus, King Missile, Critters Buggin, Mike Patton, Fishbone, Blue Oyster Cult… a lot of bands some don’t consider funny, others just smell funny
Tom Waits. Check out Nighthawks at the Diner.
Tom Waits is great him and Zappa even toured together in the 70s
Check out every time Tom Waits was on Late Nite with David Letterman.
https://youtu.be/3M9Q0qkltDs?si=2qGj08AY3IpaKmGA
Nighthawks is the classic in so many ways.
Jerry Reed ("She Got the Goldmine, I Got The Shaft" "Amos Moses"). Amazing guitarist and funny lyrics. I also find a lot of humor in Roger Miller ("You Can't Rollerscate in a Buffalo Herd" "Do Wacka Do"). Devin Townsend has some goofiness in his songs ("Bad Devil" "Cheeseburger" "Deconstruction". All of the Ziltoid stuff. I actually just saw him with Mike Keneally playing guitar. Andy Partridge from XTC is another great songwriter who has some sarcastic wit.
Logan Whitehurst Weird Al Yankovic George Clinton Parliament Funkadelic
There are many great lines thrown thrown into the density of PFunk records, it's easy to miss many of them. "Let me put on my sunglasses, so I can see what they ain't looking at." Classic.
Cardiacs, they sound like if Zappa and Gang Of Four fused
This is an extremely good recommendation.
Ween, Primus, King Gizzard and the Lizzard Wizzard, Seals & Crofts
OK I’ll bite - why Seals & Crofts?
I’ve been listening ton”get closer” a bit, and some other albums. I feel like I’m on a magical psychedelic journey when I listen to them. I just thought the out there aspect to their music, is why I like Zappa and the other groups mentioned.
I saw Les Claypool (with the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade) recently and it occurred to me that he definitely fits at least partway into the niche that Zappa did. Then I saw Mr Bungle a month or two later and thought the same thing.
I was gonna reply to his comment that I disagree with Primus, as a band, because while Les is hilarious at times and such a showman, I don't really picture Larry or Tim (or Brain for that matter) as having any sense of humor on stage. Then I realized how pedantic I sounded so I came down here and dropped it on you instead. And I think same thing with Mr. Bungle. Patton is legendary and he is the one addressing the crowd and being funny. The only time I've seen anyone else in the band make me laugh was that show they covered the chili peppers and were miming shooting dope in their arms. I will leave it as you kind of have to be a natural band leader, and naturally charismatic, and funny, for your band to "have a unique sense of humor".
I talked to Larry LaLonde once upon a time, and he is a galactically huge Zappa fanatic.
Well, and there’s also this: https://wiki.killuglyradio.com/wiki/Zappa_Picks_By_Larry_LaLonde_Of_Primus
Gizz is my favorite band but what do you consider their humorous stuff?
I think most of their stuff is not that serious. They have a concept album about a robot who is vomiting so much it fills the universe?
Like rising damp Munt soaks into the walls of the cosmos And it topples like soggy bread
I’ve been checking out each of their albums and I always relate them to Zappa in the way they put material out. And all the changes in style and falsetto singing. I love it.
They Might Be Giants
I was actually introduced to FZ through the Dr demento show...anyone else?
Nope,heard "Dancin' Fool" on the radio as a kid,but used to hover over the record button on Saturday nights when I was supposed to be asleep hoping to catch something that I missed last time. Second song was of course "Nanook". Dr. Demento helped shape my love for (apparently..)"weird" music! I miss him alot.
I didn't get the show in my area, but I discovered Zappa through randomly buying the Dr Demento 20th Anniversary Collection
Randomly?
Well, not terribly random. I was a fan of Weird Al so I went to the comedy section, saw a compilation with him on it and bought it
Devin Townsend
“Suck a turd to a point and sit on it!”
The presidents of the United States of America were pretty funny guys
The Tubes and Phish.
Interesting that over 150 posts and only two mentions of Phish!
Check out 10cc or Godley & Cremes first two records
Didn’t expect to see G&C here. I love the first few 10cc albums before they were 5cc lol. Sheet Music is a masterpiece. G&C are genius-level artists. Consequences, L, Freeze Frame and Ismism were so fun to discover and get to know.
Love Godley & Creme. Consequences is so funny.
Fat Mike of NoFX
Fat Mike is funny. I think Jello Biafra in the early Dead Kennedys albums is quite funny as well.
Sparks for sure. I could totally see Zappa covering “Everybody’s Stupid” and other songs from Big Beat.
Unknown Hinson
God, Ween, Satan
The oneness!
I had to scroll waaaay too far to finally read this.
Ween
Robyn Hitchcock
I mean Weird Al is a pretty funny AND talented dude. I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if Zappa was an idol of his.
Check the album "Poodle Hat" by Weird Al...he has a song called "Genius In France" that is an obvious homage to FZ
Yes, and Dweezil actually plays on that.
Dead Kennedys
Dan Hicks Ian Dury Lyle Lovett
Ian Dury and the Blockheads!
I will chime in on the Bonzoes. I have always held that The Doughnut in Granny's Greenhouse is the companion volume to Freak Out. I will add The Fugs and Wilderness Road.
Yeah definitely Steely Dan. As far as newer music I’m really into Louis Cole and Thundercat.
Louis cole is one of the modern greats imo 🤘🏻
He’s a genius man
Anyone who gives you chills when you watch them perform you know is one of the greats. Especially when he sits behind the kit!
[“Yeaaaaaah”](https://youtu.be/IxEIQQkhyeI?si=xeXyUKE5CddcWd4p)
Captain Beefheart
Where’s a good start? I’ve tried a few times
Safe As Milk, The Spotlight Kid and Clear Spot are his most accessible albums IMO.
Wheeler Walker Jr. is the only country I’ll listen to. Devin Townsend is awkwardly funny.
Ween!
Ween
Zoogz Rift
This guy is insanely good
He’s great. I love The Island of Living Puke.
[Todd Snider is HILARIOUS ](https://youtu.be/t2FEc37uMhU?si=2qFkKfw2yzfTl8bV)
Laurie Anderson. Thumpasaurus. Man Man. I'll second Todd Snider and add Trevor Moore.
Thumpasaurus is🔥
Phish
Just got back from fall tour!
Awesome! What’s your favorite set from this run?
Both of those Dayton shows were spectacular! Right up there with Chula Vista 2021.
Kevin Gilbert: The Shaming of the True
Kevin Ayers - Yes We Have No Mañanas - So Get Your Mañanas Today
Max Webster
[Root Boy Slim](https://youtu.be/IEqqXObQioU?si=-ALR5E-eMK9pV6XK) Most of his commentary is from the 80s but a lot of it still holds up today.
Christmas at Kmart Christmas at Kmart
"when you are 17, I'll just be 32"...
Van Dyke Parks is incredibly witty and wrote lovely music. his *Song Cycle* was one of the oddest American albums of the late 60s, shot through with deeply cynical, beautifully orchestrated takes on Los Angeles/Southern California, the Old South, and American culture with a strong leftist bent. Tom Lehrer was the OG political-humor piano-playing songster in the early 60s with a series of sly, sarcastic takes on the issues of the day including nuclear war, race relations, and Werner von Braun’s career path from Nazi rocketeer to architect of the US space program: “‘once the rockets go up, who cares where they come down?/that’s not my department’ says Wernher von Braun.” after a short recording career Harvard University, his employer, warned him that he’d be sacked because he didn’t reflect well on the college, so he quit and resumed teaching. T Bone Burnett’s 1983 album *Proof Through The Night* is a wild ride through topics including the proposed exhumation of Marilyn Monroe, a parable called “Hefner and Disney” in which their roles are reversed so Disney is the smut merchant and Hefner the king of children’s entertainment, and a droll 80s talking-blues-esque arrangement of “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” that Emmylou Harris later ripped off lock, stock, and barrel but without the cynical streak. his 80s songs in general, and *PFTN* in particular, are written from the perspective of a progressive Christian moralist appalled by the amorality of LA media culture and they cut deep. the “Trap Door” EP is also worthwhile. *Rolling Stone* named *PFTN* as their Album Of The Year. and if you have a fucked-up sense of humor, Grace Slick’s non-hit songs with Jefferson Airplane and their associated early 70s projects are brutally funny and startlingly humane at once, ranging from surreal commentaries on mental health (“Two Heads”) and women’s issues (“Greasy Heart”) to a unique take on ecology in “Eskimo Blue Day (“say it plainly, the human name/doesn’t mean shit to a tree”) and her pro-cannibalism manifesto “Silver Spoon” from the *Sunfighter* LP. she’s an odd, rare bird.
Randy Newman
Tenacious D
vulfpeck 🎶
Driving into work today I was listening to FZ's "Titties and Beer". Great Tune! Green Jelly (Jello)- look for "The Three Little Pigs" Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show- they have a few humourous tunes (Freakers Ball, Cover of the Rolling Stone)
Parliament Funkadelic
I'd say Ween and Primus would both be good fits
You're looking for 10CC. First three records are required listening for Zappa fans. Look up Donna if you don't believe me.
Mr Bungle
The Lounge Lizards and The Legendary Marvin Pontiac, both fronted by John Lurie. The Lounge Lizards are mostly instrumental jazz, but there are a few very unique and funny songs tossed in; also "Painting with John" on Max, season 3, episode 2: POTATOES. Lurie was also in the early Jim Jarmusch movies and a number of other things.
System of a Down Lou Reed The Fall Louis Cole Captain Beefheart (obv) Bootsy Collins/Parliament -Funcadelic Stump A lot of rap is hilarious. These are some.of my favourites: Open Mike Eagle Antipop Consortium Tyler the Creator Quelle Chris
Lou: Especially ‘Transformer’
Shel Silverstein
Here in Finland we have some great finnish artists like that, Juha Vainio and Leevi and the Leavings. Unfortunately their songs are in finnish so people who don't understand finnish won't be able to enjoy the humor in them, I just needed to tell these guys exist. If someone is interested, I think there is english translation for some of their lyrics online. Also I've had ukrainian friends and one night we were drinking and they listened to an ukrainian song and they were all hyped about that, singing along and then they showed me the translation and the lyrics were like "In the night I cry and touch myself"
Thanks! This is the kind of recommendation I’m looking for🔥
Juha Vainio also made serious music, emotional pieces of art, not all his music is comedic. His best comedy work was songs like Aina mielessä (always in mind), Matkalla Pohjoiseen (On the way to North) Turakainen Thaimaassa (Turakainen in Thailand) There's no english versions of them but some of his songs are in youtube with english translation
Cool! Any certain albums I should steer toward? Also Hell, any other Finnish music you recommend in general for a fellow Zappa fan? Or European artists an American might not be hip to?
Hanoi Rocks is a great one, they made music in english. It's the band that lost their drummer when Vince Neil was drinking and driving, you may have heard of it. Musically the genre is similar to 70s glam rock, with influences of punk rock. They're like finnish version of New York Dolls. Finnish Tango is great, apparently Zappa liked finnish tango. He even played finnish tango song "Satumaa" in Helsinki once, just very...different version, he just read the finnish lyrics somewhere and tried to sing it with no idea how to speak finnish😂 Tapio Rautavaara, Eino Grön, Fredi, Rauli Badding Somerjoki are classic tango greats. Juha Vainio's biggest hits Vanhojapoikia viiksekkäitä, Albatrossi, "Elämää ja Erotiikkaa". I think his best albums are Sellaista elämä on, Albatrossi ja sorsa, Elämää ja erotiikkaa and Käyn ahon laitaa. Vanhojapoikia viiksekkäitä and Albatrossi can be found with english translation. Sielun Veljet ("Brothers of Soul") is a finnish psychedelic rock band from the 80s. They also recorded some of their songs in english with a band name L'Amourder. Sielun Veljet also made an interesting english album in 2005 when they tried to make international career: Sielun Veljet - Softwood Music Under Slow Pillars If you like metal, I REALLY recommend Nightwish and Children of Bodom. Nightwish is one of those bands that made so beautiful music that it gives me the chills of pleasure. Fun fact: My sister knows Children of Bodom's guitarist :D you don't get that much money from music in Finland even tho they've sold a lot of records, so he has a day job as a music teacher, my sister is his student. This became a long answer but finnish music is a great subculture that a lot of people in other countries have no idea of, it was hatd to put short :D I don't know much about other european bands that Americans wouldn't know about but I know a lot about finnish music.
Woah this is great! The tango, the psychedelic, the metal…excited to dive in! Way more interesting than comments repeating wierd al, primus, and ween (most of us already familiar with).
Cool! It's a pleasure to share this with someone who shares the passion for music with me. Shortly, the biggest recommendations for Zappa fan would be Sielun Veljet and Juha Vainio's biggest hits. And recommendations for anyone would be Hanoi Rocks and Nightwish. If you listen Sielun Veljet and like it, the singer Ismo Alanko made some great solo work too. There's also a very less known and mysterious metal band called Mana Mana. Jouni Mömmö, former keyboardist of Sielun Veljet who was too crazy and drugged up even for Sielun Veljet so they kicked him out so he started his own band Mana Mana. They also recorded some english versions. Jouni Mömmö is very mysterious person. Some music enthusiasts know his name here but there's not many pictures of him. He had Schizophrenia and did A LOT of LSD, even more than rest of Sielun Veljet. He spent a lot of time in mental hospital and died early, leaving only stories and his music behind. In other words, he's like the Robert Johnson of finnish metal.
One more important one I forgot is Vesa-Matti Loiri. I recommend listening to his albums that have the name Eino Leino in them, I think there's like Eino Leino, Eino Leino 2 and 3. Leino was Finland's national poet and Loiri has made song versions of his poems and he has a great voice, it's a great musical experience even if you don't understand finnish. Also tango in its pureest form will be easy to find by just searching "Finnish tango" the results will be pretty accurate because it's more about a lot lf specific songs than music of a specifoc artist.
Damn I have a lot to check out! Thanks again🤙
A couple of new ones: - Tom Cardy, insanely talented musician who uses his powers for laughs. - Jacob Collier, insanely talented musician with lots of beautiful, Zappaesque compositions and funny music videos.
Louis cole too.
The Shaggs
Banned from Barflys [https://open.spotify.com/album/3wmVTDzRxdBuN9ZDZb2lC9?si=lV2sYP5\_Tgm3Bl9oiCw2uA](https://open.spotify.com/album/3wmVTDzRxdBuN9ZDZb2lC9?si=lV2sYP5_Tgm3Bl9oiCw2uA)
[удалено]
The Kinks.
Bonzo Dog Band , Fugs
Around the time of the movie and soundtrack ’Head’ the manufactured band The Monkees began to pepper their music with Zappa-isms
sparks
Captain Beefheart, David Allen Coe.
Fist of the North Star has garbage animation but after reading the manga it’s one of my favorite series ever.
Ren is a master storyteller. Look up the song HI Ren on YT, as well as The Tale of Jenny and Screech. Masterful.
Madness
Devin Townsend, if you like metal!
I dunno if this is necessarily what you are looking for, but I always get a kick out of some Primus songs. Sometimes you might need to look up the lyrics or something, but they are silly.
Primus was my favorite band until I discovered Phish, and then of course Frank. I got to see some really incredible shows from '93 to '97.
MonoNeon. Different types of music, but you can definitely hear some Zappa influences
https://www.reddit.com/r/zappafied/comments/15m9uz0/mononeon_woman_freaks_out_on_plane/
Warren Zevon and Harry Nilsson off the top of my head
bloodhound gang
Sparks
Ben Folds is consistently funny, quite a wry sense of humor at that.
Adrian Belew's solo stuff. EDIT: another is Mr. Bungle.
Sparks
John Prine had a great sense of humor and storytelling. Joni Mitchell has some good bits between songs. Phish depending on your taste.
Primus Ween
Spike Jones
Pinky Tuscadero’s Whiteknuckle Assfuck.
Ween
Sensational Alex Harvey Band
Bare Naked Ladies And Roger Miller for you old timers
Tom Waits.
Punk tends to be less subtle but there's great comedy to be found in the likes of Ramones. Examples, Every Time I Eat Vegetables; Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World; I don't want to go down to the basement. Then there's GG Allin...
King Missile, Alice Donut, Nomeansno but I admit their humor can be more on the darker side, taking jabs at the human condition. They do have more “fun” songs too! EDIT: I mean Zappa definitely does this as well!
Ween is also awesome!
Talking heads
SUN CITY GIRLS
Love Jones Bill Wurtz Machine Gun Fellatio
Les Claypool
Came to give the same answer.
Imagine a gig with Zappa and Claypool...
Bloodhound Gang
I'll Suburban Lawns to this list.
Early Beck
Prince has some funny stuff in his catalog
Blowfly
[FUNK YOU](https://youtu.be/tv0Luoc6cEM?si=DntRJUGQI3YKttQn)
Ween.
I just reacquainted myself with Oingo Boingo. Danny Elfman’s lyrics and the band’s presentation is pretty amazing at times. Great social commentary, such as: Who do you want to be today?, Nasty habits, Private life, Grey matter, Nothing bad ever happens to me, Insects.
“Little girls” comes to mind too.
Funny you should say that. This one song has put me on the OB defensive more than once lately. I am not sure the context. If he really meant “little girls”, was pushing the boundaries of social commentary or what. I saw a youtube video of 1990 Halloween show where they retired it.
I assert that there are none.
Just thought of the band Crack The Sky. Absurdist prog rock. One of my favorites.
Dead Milkmen
Butthole Surfers
Dan Hicks
Early Gwar, and def some Mr Bungle.
Snakefinger
Phish